Ticket pad



M. H. LONDON TICKET PAD Filed June 10, 1948 lull" v H BY Patented Oct. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l TICKET PAD Milton Harold London, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 10, 1948, Serial No. 32,111

4 Claims.

This application relates to ticket pads and more particularly to pads of tickets such as are used in motion picture theaters. Such pads are generally of rectangular zig zag folded form having one or more, but generally five tickets to the fold, with the ticket edges forming the faces of the pad.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pattern of marking on the faces of a pad of such tickets of such a nature that when halves of consecutive tickets, hereafter referred to as stubs, are consecutively stacked and superimposed vertically with their edges alined, the sides of the stack formed will show a predetermined geometric pattern. The state of perfection of that pattern on the stack will reveal the order of stacking,

If the geometric pattern is uninterrupted it will indicate that the stacking of the stubs was generally in the same order in which the tickets were removed from the pad. On the other hand any major interruption in the predetermined geometric pattern on the sides of the stack will indicate that the stacking was not in the order in which the tickets were removed'from the pad, indicating missing or out-of-order tickets.

Hence it becomes possible for an investigation to be made of the causes for any disorder in the normal movement of tickets from the point where they are severed from the pad and the point of stacking. Normally, and it may be expected that, stubs will be stacked in substantially the order in which tickets are sever-ed from the pad. When any interruption in this normalprocedure takes place it will be revealed by the interruption of the predetermined geometric pattern on the stack.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the appended drawings. In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a pad of tickets showing its exposed face, composed of edges of tickets, marked with a predetermined geometric pattern.

Fig. 2. is a view showing a fold of five tickets of the pad of Fig. 1 and indicating the markings on their edges.

Fig. 3 is a view showing afragment of a stack of halves of the tickets of Fig. 1 with a predetermined geometric pattern indicated.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views like Fig. 3 but showing interrupted patterns.

A motion picture theater ticket II] of conventional form is marked at its opposite ends with a serial number. For stacking purposes, the tickets are severed on lines H. Either half of the ticket may be stacked along with other halves 2 of other tickets to form a stack I2 of ticket halves or stubs.

There are four possibilities for stacking stubs. The left end may be the leading end, and the stub may be stacked with its face up or with its face down. The left end may be the trailing end and the stub may be stacked with its face up or with its face down.

A pad I 3 of such tickets consists of a large number of consecutively numbered tickets joined end to end, with the individual tickets separated by score lines I4 and by holes [5 as indicated.

The conventional pad is formed as shown in Fig. l, where 2,000 tickets are folded over 400 times in a zig mg or accordion pleated pattern with five tickets to the fold.

In carrying out my inventlon,I mark on the faces of such pads, made up of the edges of the two thousand tickets which form the pad, a geometric pattern of straight oblique lines 20 drawn across the pad criss cross fashion and in perfect symmetry. Each ticket includes points of four lines, two on each edge, arranged symmetrically.

' Where lines intersect, the point of intersection may be viewed as two points of separate lines superimposed on one another, which is, in fact, the case, as where the lines are ruled on. a com pleted pad.

The markings on the tickets are generally similar but differ slightly from fold to fold in order that a geometric pattern of predetermined form may be formed when the stubs are stacked.

No matter which end of the ticket leads as it is stacked, and no matter which way the stubs are disposed in the stack, face up or down, be-

cause of the particular pattern disclosed, the.

stack will show a perfect geometric pattern provided the stubs are arranged in the stack in the order in which the tickets were severed from the pad.

However, if stubs are placed in the stack in a seriously interrupted order from which the tickets were severed from the pad, the pattern will be interrupted as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 which show how missing or out of order stubs cause interruptions in the patterns, as shown at a, b, and c The drawings are shown with geometric patterns arranged according tothe following code. A indicates the distance from the endof the ticket to the first point of marking of the edge. B indicates the distance from the first point to the second point. tance from the second point to the opposite end.

The distances and dimensions are in inches andare planned for a ticket which is two inches long.

A also indicates the dis- Code for design shown on accompanying drawing [Conventional pad of 2000 tickets.]

Ticket (Pattern Repeats For 2nd Thousand) Ticket 4003-4002-4001- -5001-5000-4999: 1. O0 -v40044005-40064007-40083 64994-49954996-4997-4998 99 02 4013-40124011-40104009 4Q934992- i991-4990-4989: 8 04 4014-4015-4016-4017-4018 I P498449854986 49874988 97 06 v4ll i-4l15-41164117-4118 -4884-4885-4886-4887-4888 I 77 46 123-4122-4121-4120-4119? 883-4883-4881-4880-48793 76 48 4124--l125-4l26-41274l28 4874-48754876-4877-4878 75 50 l 41334:13241314180-4129 873-4872-4871-4870-4869 7-1 52 E4243-4242-4241-4240-4239J 4763-4762-47614760-47593 52 96 4244-4245-4246-42474248 4754-4755-4756-4757-4758 51 98 2534252-425l-4250- l2494 753-4752-4751-4750-47493 O 1. 00 4254-4255-4256-4257-4258 I --4744-4745-4746-4746-4748 49 1. 02 l I 373-43 72-437l-4370-43694 I 4633-4632-463l-4630-4629: 26 1. 48 4374-4375-4376-4377-4378 :lx62 i-4625-4626-4627-4628 1. 50 383-4382-4381-4380-4379r- 4523-4622-46214620-4619? 24 l. 52 4384-4385-4386-4387-43887 I 46l4-4615-46lG-46l7-46l8 23 l. 54 4484-4485-4486-4487-44883 I24514- 1515-4516-4517-4518 03 l. 94 |44934492-449l-44904489 4513-4512451145104509: U2 1. 96 644944495-44964497-4498 4504-4505-4506-4507-4508 O1 1. 98 4503-senor-450044993 F 00 2. 00

The straight ruled lines of the above code indicate gaps in the numbering thus: 4019-4113; 41344238; 4258-4368; 4388-4483; 4519-4013; 4634-4743; 4764-4868; 4868*1983.

Contemplating the use of a ticket which is serially numbered at opposite ends and either of whose halves may be used for the stack and inserted into the stack in any one of two different ways, or withthe whole ticket used, the pattern here indicated has been developed and has been found satisfactory for the purposes. The patternhere developed is characterized by the fact that each ticket edge is at least twice marked, the markings are symmetrical, and differ slightly but only slightly from fold to fold in the pad of tickets.

If stubs are stacked more or less in the sequence in which they are detached from the pad, a pattern will form in the stack.

The degree of sharpness or fuzziness of the formed geometric pattern reflects how closely the stubs were stacked with reference to their numerical sequence. If the stubs are stacked absolutely consecutively, the pattern will be clear and sharp. If the stubs are stacked without reference to their natural sequence, the pattern will disappear.

A single ticket missing, or far out of sequence, will not noticeably disturb the pattern.

A number of tickets or a group of consecutive tickets missing or far out of sequence will definitely break the pattern; likewise any unmarked or wrongly marked tickets (unauthorized tickets).

Among the characteristics of the pattern of the drawing are these:

The pattern is on a rectangular double faced pad of zig zag folds of tickets and is composed of parallel oblique intersecting lines. The lines sloping in one direction are spaced apart horizontally a ticket length, and the lines sloping in the other direction are also spaced apart horizontally a ticket length. The angles formed by the intersecting oblique lines are symmetrically arranged with respect to the imaginary vertical and horizontal lines passing through the intersections so that the angles are bisected by such lines.

Each half ticket on each edge has a marked point, The two points of a half ticket, on opposite edges, are alined, i. e., they are equidistant from the severance center line of the ticket of which that half formed a part.

In theory, and it is intended that the five tickets of a fold are identically marked. In practice, b cause of variations in paper thickness and compressibility and in pad compressibility, there may be slight difi'erences in the markings of the five tickets of a fold. This usually is not sufficient to destroy the functioning of the pad pattern to indicate the order of stacking, since the slight fuzziness of the pattern on the stack will not impair the reading of the stack pattern.

Now having described the ticket pad and pattern here disclosed, reference should be had to the claims which follow for a determination of the inventions hereof.

I claim:

1 A patterned ticket pad comprising a continuous strip of end to end connected identical length tickets folded in zig-zagform and thus forming a strip pad of rectangular form having front and back faces each bounded by horizontal and vertical sides and formed by the edges of the tickets, said faces having on each a marking in the form of a predetermined geometric pattern,

including two criss-crossingor intersecting sets of parallel oblique lines, with the horizontally measured distances between the parallel oblique lines of the first set being equal to the length of a ticket, and with the horizontally measured distances between the parallel oblique lines of the second set also being equal to the length or a ticket, each of the two halves of each of the two ticket edges being at least once marked, the two marked points of each ticket half being alined, i. e., the same distance from the center line of the ticket of which that half forms a part, the intersecting oblique lines being symmetrically arranged with respect to imaginary vertical and horizonal lines passing through such intersections, with such lines biseeting the angles at such intersections.

2. A patterned ticket pad comprising a continuous strip of end to end connected identical length tickets folded in zig-zag form and thus forming a strip pad of rectangular form having front and back faces each bounded by horizontal and vertical sides and formed by the edges of the tickets, said faces having on each a marking in the form of a predetermined geometric pattern, including two criss-crossing or intersecting sets of parallel oblique lines, with the horizontally measured distances between the parallel oblique lines of the first set being equal to the length of a ticket, and, with the horizontally measured distances between the parallel oblique lines of the second set also being equal to the length of a ticket, each of the two halves of each of the two ticket edges being at least once marked, the two marked points of each ticket half being alined, i. e., the same distance from the center line of the ticket of which that half forms a part, the intersecting oblique lines being symmetrically arranged with respect to imaginary vertical and horizontal lines passing through such intersections, with such lines bisecting the angles at such intersections, there being severa1 tickets to each fold, with all the tickets of a fold being substan' tially identically marked.

3. A patterned ticket pad comprising a continuous strip of end to end connected identical length tickets folded in zig-zag form and thus forming a strip pad of rectangular form having front and back faces each bounded by horizontal and vertical sides and formed by the edges of the tickets, said faces having on each a marking in the form of a predetermined geometric pattern, including two cries-crossing or intersecting sets of parallel oblique lines, with the horizontally measured distances between the parallel oblique lines of the first set being equal to'the length of a ticket, and with the horizontally measured distances between the parallel oblique lines of the second set also being equal to the length of a ticket, each of the two halves of each of the two ticket edges being at least once marked, the two marked points of each ticket half being alined, i. e., the same distance from the center line of the ticket of which that half forms a part, the intersecting oblique lines being symmetrically ar ranged with respect to imaginary vertical and horizontal lines passing through such intersections, with such lines bisecting the angles at such intersections, the patterns being in the form of lines ruled on a formed pad.

4. A patterned ticket pad comprising a continuous strip of end to end connected identical length tickets folded in zig-zag form and thus forming a strip pad of rectangular form having front and back faces each bounded by horizontal and vertical sides and formed by the edges of the tickets, said faces having on each a marking in the form of a predetermined geometric pattern, including two criss-crossing or intersect ing sets of parallel oblique lines, with the horizontally measured distances between the parallel oblique lines of the first set being equal to the length of a ticket, and with the horizontally measured distances between the parallel oblique lines of the second set also bein equal to the length of a ticket, each of the two halves of each of the two ticket edges being at least once marked, the two marked points of each ticket half being alined, i. e., the same distance from the center line of the ticket of which that half forms a part, the intersecting oblique lines being symmetrically arranged with respect to imaginary vertical and horizontal lines passing through such intersections, with such lines bisecting the angles at such intersections, there being several tickets to each fold, with all the tickets of a fold being substantially identically marked, the patterns being in the form of lines ruled on a formed pad. MILTON HAROLD LONDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 309,318 Srnyth Dec. 16, 1884 660,637 Herrmann Oct, 30, 1900 

